PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

The Grand Inquisitor  a trap had laid

By which he cunningly sought to ensnare

His prey with tricky questions put to her

That would  convict of Heresy the Maid.



"Speak up Joan! - "Speak!"-" was it your fancy's flight

Imagination? - visions, voices, and all

That came to you and made you heed the call

To take up arms and lead for France the fight?"



Saint Catherine appeared to you -  we see;

St. Michael told  you: "Courage! Courage! Joan"

Did he have flesh and bone? - had clothing on?

Did both these saints appear at Domremy?"



With stake and anathema threatening

Tell us why you so obstinately cling

To visions of your vain imagining

"Speak! let your voice before your judges ring!



To all of this the intrepid Maid replied:

"Imagination  Sires, - of course it is!-

It is the gentle ways and means wherewith

The Lord will prod at first,- and then provide".



© Elizabeth Dandy



Feast of St. Joan of Arc May 30 2005



Like the gods about whom Homer sang, Saints have been known to take a partisan interest in mortals, politics, as when in the year 1426, the 89th year of the 100 year war that St, Michael, St. Margaret and St. Catherine decided to assist the Valois party  of Charles  of Orleans against his rivals, the Burgundians and their English allies.



As prophesied, , a young farm teenager, was the instrument of Divine intervention

She led the French army as per her voices and visions victoriously, but was captured at Campiègne by the Burgundians and sold to the English.

Her own king, true toad, did nothing to either ransom or, had no interest to rescue her, and after her refusal to deny her voices at the famous trial of Joan of Arc. she was burned at the stake as a heretic under the Bishop of Beauvais.

Canonized in 1911 many cathedrals are devoted to St. Joan of Arc.

Notice the difference between “Invent”,  i.e. the Latin “Invenire”. i.e., - coming upon something.

and fancifully “fabricate” somethingm- Big difference.